Full coverage· Economy· Updated 28 Oct, 16:21

Israel Sets Spending Record on Election Day

Israeli consumers spent a record 1.752 billion shekels on bank cards during the election day for the 26th Knesset on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. This represents a 30.2% increase compared to the previous Knesset elections on November 1, 2022, when spending reached 1.346 billion shekels. The figure also surpassed the 1.591 billion shekels spent during the municipal elections on January 30, 2024, by 10.2%.

3 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 28 Oct, 12:23

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What happened

01Israeli consumers spent a record 1.752 billion shekels on bank cards during the Knesset election day on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
02The total expenditure represents a 30.2% increase compared to the previous Knesset elections held on November 1, 2022.
03Peak spending between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM reached 1.149 billion shekels, surpassing previous election day midday records.
04The entertainment, leisure, and attractions sector saw the largest spending surge, increasing by 72.32% to 19.141 million shekels.
05Restaurants, cafes, and fast food outlets experienced a 53.89% rise in consumer spending, totaling 181.365 million shekels.
06Grocery stores and supermarket chains recorded the highest overall spending among all retail sectors, reaching 238.196 million shekels.
07Physical store purchases rose by 58% during the holiday, while online sales decreased by 44% except for clothing.

According to data from Shva, the national payment systems operator, spending peaked during the midday hours between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, totaling 1.149 billion shekels. This is considerably higher than the 808.51 million shekels recorded during the same hours in the 2022 elections and the 1.011 billion shekels during the 2024 municipal elections.

Israelis utilized the public holiday for leisure, shopping, and entertainment, with physical store purchases surging by 58% while online sales dropped by 44%, except for clothing. The entertainment, leisure, and attractions sector saw the most dramatic surge, increasing by 72.32% to 19.141 million shekels. Restaurants, cafes, and fast food establishments experienced a 53.89% rise to 181.365 million shekels, while grocery stores and supermarkets remained the top overall spending category, recording 238.196 million shekels.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 00:41

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